Refrigerating apparatus



May 6, 1941. w. H. TEETER 2,241,101

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed April 6, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

May 6, 1941. w. H. TEETER 2,241,101

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed April 6, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 6, 1941 REFRIGERATIN G APPARATUS Wilford H. Teeter, Dayton, Ohio, assigno to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a, cor- 'iO-Claims.

My invention relates to refrigerator cabinets and particularly to a hinge construction for pivotally attaching movable wall structures for the cabinet together. A

Refrigerator cream storage cabinets ordinarily have an opening in one wall thereof providing access to a food storage compartment therein and have a door structure or doors closing such opening. In the construction of ice cream cabinets, the storage compartment access opening is usually in the top wall thereof, and recently this Opening has been designed to be of an elongated or rectangular form to provide access to two ice cream containers located in the storage compartment. A double insulated lid structure has been employed to close the opening in the top wall of the ice cream cabinet. Such double insulated lid structures have been in the form of a ldoor construction comprising two members disposed closely adjacent each other and located on the same horizontal plane with one another. The two doors are hinged together to permit movement of one member relative to the other member to uncover that portion only of the cabinet opening providing access to a single ice cream container located below the moved door member while the other door member remains stationary to close the remainder of the opening in the cabinet. Hinge devices heretofore employed to pivotally attach the vone door member to the other of the double door construction have not been entirely satisfactory for various reasons. For example, such hinge devices, if made of metal, do not seal the opening at the joint or connection of the doors and, in addition, transm'it the low temperature maintained within the food storage compartment to the exterior of the cabinet, thus causing condensation ofA moisture thereon which, in a short period of time, renders the hinge parts unsightly and damages same beyond repair. I am aware of the fact that others have proposed the use of insulating material as forming a hinge device of the general character described to eliminate some of the diiiiculties encountered in the use of metallic hinges. The hinges of insulating material heretofore proposed have been of short life because they have not been properly constructed and mounted to prevent cracking or breaking thereof. my invention is particularly directed to an improved hinge of insulating material and a novel and improved mounting construction for the hinge.

An object of my invention is to provide an f poration of Delaware Application April 6, 1939, Serial No. 266,438

cabinets and particularly ice Therefore, 1

improved hinge device for movable wall structures of refrigerator cabinets.

Another object of my invention is to provide animproved one-piece non-metallic hinge having flexible exterior faces and a resilient layer of high tensile strength intermediate its faces.

Another object of my invention is to associate a one-piece non-metallic resilient hinge for movable wall members or doors with an improved mounting construction in such manner as to prevent stretching of the hinge beyond its limits of elasticity and to prevent tearing thereof to thereby prolong the life of the hinge.

A further object of my invention is to provide a' mounting means for a resilient non-metallic one-piece hinge which means normally bows a portion of the hinge in a direction opposite the direction of movement thereof by a door to thereby reduce to a minimum the bending or rotating movement of the free or bowed'hinge portion. In carrying out the foregoing objects, it is a still further and more specific object of my invention to provide a one-piece molded rubber hinge, with a resilient fabric layer embedded therein and to mount the hinge so that its fabric layer is disposed at the neutral axis of movement of the hinge by a door.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerated ice cream storage cabinet having the present invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken transverse fragmentary sectional View, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, of doors closing an opening in the refrigerator cabinet and movably secured together by a hinge constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a full transverse sectional view of one door of the two-door closure wall structure for the opening in the refrigerator cabinet;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the position of the hinge when one door of the two-door closure wall structure is moved into substantially a vertical position relative to the other door thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a view partly in. Isection and partly in elevation showing the position of the hinge upon movement of one door of the two-door closure wall into a superimposed position upon the other ,door thereof.

I2 provide access to the refrigerated food storage y compartment Within cabinet I6 and are normally closed by a two-membered rectangularly-shaped removable door structure generally represented by the reference character |4. 'I'he compartment access openings |2 of cabinet I0 are each bounded by a rubber or the like collar I6 (see Fig. 2) which has a flanged upper part tting over the edge oi' the cabinet top wall II adjacent the openings I2 therein. The flanged part I1 of each collar I6 is provided with a relatively soft gasket portion I8 against which one of the two-membered door structures I4 rests to seal the opening.

The wall structure |4 for closing the access opening I2 leading to the storage compartment of cabinet I0 is in the form of a two-membered door structure and includes two doors or members 2| and 22 lying closely adjacent one another and in the same horizontal plane. Each door or member 2| and 22 (see Fig. 3) of the structure I4 comprises a hard, molded rubber shell 23 providing the top wall portion thereof. A ange 24 extends outwardly from the topwall portion 23 of lmembers 2| and 22 along three sides thereof and which is adapted to engage the gasket I8 at the cabinet opening |2. Each door o r member 2| and 22 also includes an integral downwardly projecting portion 26 forming the four side Walls of the doors. It will be noted that the outer surface of the one sidewall 26 of doors 2| and 22, where flange 24 has been omitted, has a at vertical portion 2B and an angled or inclined portion 29 (see Fig. 2). IA part of each door or member 2|4 and 22 of .theftwo-membered door structure I4 adjacent the vertical portion 28 of the one side wall thereof is extended upwardly as at 3| beyond a fiatsurface 32 provided at the top of the doors and located below the upper surface of the top wall 23,. thereof. The top wall 23 of each door 2| and;` 22 is recessed below the flat surface 32 as at 33 to'provide a groove along one side of the fiat surface-32. By referring to Fig. 1, it will beseen that the upwardly extended portion 3|, fiat surface `32 and groove 33 of each door 2| and 22 extendssubstantially entirely across the doors at the edge 28 thereof but are spaced from adjacent flanged edges of the doors to prevent exposing the ends of the hinge parts to be hereinafter "more fully described. Each door or member'zl and 22 also includes bosses 3 5 and 36 (see Fig.'j3`) formed integral with the tcp wall 23 and depending therefrom. The boss 35 is located at the'center of doors 2| and 22 and forms a mountingfor ascrew 31 which has a head 38 engaging a metal pan-like member 39. Member 39 has its upstanding peripheral edges 4|'y clamped, by a screw 3l, against the lower portion of the side walls 26 and forms the bottom wall of the doors 2| and 22. Pan member 39 is provided with a plurality of button-like depressions 42 which serve to stifen the pan or bottom wall of the lids or doors. In order to effectively insulate the structure I4,l I place a, block of corkboard insulation 44 between the pan 39 and the top wall 23 of doors 2| and 22. A piece of blotter paper or the like is interposed between the pan or bottom wall 39 of each door 2| and 22 and the corkboard 44. The boss 36 islocated near the one end of the doors 2| and 22 and forms a mounting for a bolt 41 and nut 43 which secure a knob 49 to each of the doors. By referring to Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings, it will be seen that the knob 49 on one door is offset relative to the knob 49 on the other door of the twomembered wall structure I4.

Having described the construction of the two doors or members 2| and 22 of the insulated closure wall for access opening |2 of cabinet I0, I will now proceed to describe a novel hinge device or element which is associated with the doors or members 2| and 22 to pivotally hold them together in side by side relation and to permit movement of one door relative to the other door. preferably of a one-piece resilient non-metallic material and is specifically a molded rubber element generally represented by the reference character '50. Element 50 has a resilient layer or web 5| formed of a plurality of long, tough fabric cords or the like embedded therein and has layers 52 and 53 of flexible resilient rubber on the sides of the layer 5I (see Fig. 4). 'Ihe one-piece hinge element 50 has thick edge portions 55, and it is to be noted that the layer of rubber 52 on the one side of the fabric web or layer 5| between the thick edges of the element is somewhat thicker than the rubber layer 53 on the opposite side of the fabric layer. The point of juncture between the thick edge portions 55 and the rubber layer 52 is in the form of a, shoulder 56 for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. 'I'he doors or members 2| and 22 of the two-membered structure I4 are placed adjacent one another with their vertical side surfaces 28 in abutting relation and the one-piece hinge device or element 56 is then disposed over a part of the top of each door 2| and 22. 'I'he one thick edge portion 55 of hinge 50 is located in the groove 33 of one door member and the other thick edge portion 55 thereof is located in the groove 33 of the other door member. A portion of the hinge element 50 lies over the flat surface 32 and over the raised or upwardly extending portion 3| of each door member 2| and 22. An elongated metal member 6| is placed upon each door 2| and 22 over the hinge and extends from the groove 33 to a point adjacent the junction of the raised portion 3| with the iiat surface 32 provided on the doors. A plurality of bolts 62 are extended through the metal member 6| and through a thickened portion of the top 23 of the doors and have a head 63 engaging member 6|. Nuts 64 (see Figs. 2 and 3) are threaded upon the lower end of bolts 62 and engage an inner wall surface of the shell or top 23 of the doors 2| and 22 to draw the metal member 6| downwardly and to thereby tightly clamp a portion of the hinge element'50 to a door. A downwardly directed ange 66 provided on metal member 6| extends into the groove 33 to cover the edge of the hinge 50 and to rmly clamp the shoulder 56 on hinge 50 against one side wall of the groove.

The construction and arrangement of the parts of door members 2| and 22 to which the hinge device or element 50 is secured cooperate in such manner as to provide an improved one-piece This hinge device or element is nection between the doors.

hinge and mounting therefor. For example, the

` free space between the metal members 6| where termediate its secured edge portions. and raise.

or bow this intermediate hinge portion when the doors 2| and 22 are in a position relative to one another to close the access opening I2 of cabinet I0. Thus, the intermediate portion of hinge 50 is bowed'in a direction opposite the direction 'of movement thereof by moving one door relative to the other door to uncover a part oi.' the access opening 2 of cabinet i0. This bowing of the intermediate hinge portion together with the construction of the mounting parts for hinge on the door members 2| and 22 and their arrangement relative to one another positions the hinge at such a point relative to the doors that the fabric layer 5| thereof is located at the neutral axis of turning or bending of the hinge by movement of a door member into an open posi-` tion. The tough or somewhat stiff nature of the resilientfabric layer 5| of hinge device or element 50 with respect to its exible rubber layers 52 and 53 also plays an important part in the cooperation of the hinge with its particular mounting parts in establishing the neutral axis of movement of the hinge at the fabric layer. This tough and somewhat stiff embedded fabric layer or web together with the normal bowing of an intermediate portion of the hinge and the relatively short space between the secured hinge portions prevents buckling or folding of the free or normally bowed portion of the hinge as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This tough character -of the hinge also causes itsfree or normally bowed portion to move in an'arcuate manner as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Movement of one door upwardly and into a superimposed position relative to the other door, as shown in Fig. 5, causes stretching of the ilexible rubber layers 52 and 53 of the hinge element 50, but the tensile strength of the fabric layer 5| prevents stretching or elongation of the portion of hinge 50 intermediate its secured portions. The intermediate portion of hinge 50 being normally bowed in a direction opposite the direction of movement thereof, by moving one door member relative to another door member, prevents stretching of the molded hinge element 5|) beyond the elastic limit of the rubber thereof and thereby eliminates premature deterioration and cracking to prolong the life of the hinge.

By providing the one edge of the doors 2| and 22 with the flat vertical surface 28, these surfaces 28 are normally maintained in abutting relation to form a closure at the point of con- The normally bowed intermediate portion of the hinge element 50 lies over the crack at the point of abutment of the surfaces 28 of/the doors 2| and 22 and provides a seal therefor1 to prevent the escape of cold air from the refrigerated compartment of cabinet I0. By virtue of the flange 66, on metal member 6|, clamping the shoulder 56, on the inner side of the thick edge portions 55 of hinge 50, against vthe one wall of groove 33 any force applied to the intermediate hinge portion, such for example as attempting to pull the doors 2| and 22 away from one another, is absorbed by the thick edge portions of hinge 50 and the wall of groove 33. This feature of construction distributes the pulling force over a wide area and relieves the bolts 62 from this force to thereby prevent stretching or tearing of the hinge in the vicinity of the holes therein through which the bolts 82 ex,- tend. While I have shown and described a refrigerator wall construction having an opening therein closed by a removable unitary double or two-membered door structure. one of which doors is movable relative to the other thereof, it is also within the realm of my invention to pivotaily connect a single door to a stationary wall structure part of a cabinet. having an opening adjacent thereto to be closed by the single door, by the hinge device or element'and its mounting means disclosed.

It will be seen that I have provided a novel hinge device or element of one-piece construction and have provided an improved mounting therefor. The hinge being of good insulating properties provides an eifective seal for the joint or connection between movable wall members and does not transmit cold from the interior to the exterior of a lowtemperatured refrigerator cabinet. My. improved hinge is of a simplified construction, of low manufacturing cost and mounted in an improved manner. The improved mounting of my hinge to provide bowing thereof in a direction opposite the direction of movement of the free or bowed portion thereof reduces movement of the free hinge portion in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of a door to a minimum which is within the elastic limits of the fiexible rubber thereof. This provides the advantage of utilizing the elasticity of the rubber hinge without unduly stretching same to thereby prolong the life of the hinge.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow. i

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination with a an opening .adjacent thereto and a movable door member normally closing the opening, a hinge comprising a singlepiece of resilient non-metallic material extending over a part of said wall member and over a part of said door member and forming the sole connection between said members, means for securing a portion of said hinge to a surface of said wall member adjacent said part thereof, means for securing another portion of said hinge to a surface of said door member adjacent said part thereof, said part of said wall member and said part of said door member beneath said hinge extending beyond the plane of the surface of said members to which said hinge portions are secured and engaging a portion of said hinge intermediate its secured portions, and said extending part of said members normally maintaining said intermediate portion of said hinge bowed in a direction opposite its direction of movement by said door member to dispose a part of said bowed hinge portion at the neutral axis of movement thereof. A

2. In combination with a wall structure having an opening therein and a two-membered door structure normally closing the opening, a hinge for permitting movement of one member relative to the other member of said two-membered door structure, said hinge comprising a single piece of resilient non-metallic material extending over apart of said one member and` over a part of said other member of said two-membered door structure and forming the sole connection between said members, means for sewall member having curing a portion of said hinge to a surface of said one member adjacent said part thereof, means for securing another portion of said hinge to a surface of said other member adjacent said part thereof, said part of said members of said two-membered door structure beneath said hinge extending beyond the plane of the surface of said members to which said hinge portions are secured and engaging a portion of said hinge intermediate its secured portions, and said extending parts of said members normally maintaining said intermediate portion of said hinge bowed in a direction opposite its direction of movement by moving one of the members of said two-membered door structure relative to the other member thereof to dispose a part of said bowed hinge portion at the neutral axis of movement thereof.

3. In combination with a wall member having an opening adjacent thereto and a movable door member normally closing the opening, a hinge comprising a single piece of resilient non-metallic material extending over a part of said wall member and over a part of said door member, each of said parts of said members including a fiat surface, a groove adjacent one side thereof and a portion adjacent the other side thereof extending beyond the plane of said fiat surface, said single piece hinge having relatively thick edges disposed in the groove provided in said members, means fitting over one edge of said hinge for clamping same within the groove and for securing a portion adjacent said one edge to the fiat surface of one of said members, means fitting over the other edge of said hinge for clamping same Within the groove and for securing a portion adjacent said other edge to the fiat surface of the other of said members, and said extending portion of said members engaging a portion of said hinge intermediate its secured portions and normally maintaining said intermediate hinge portion bowed in a direction opposite the direction of movement thereof by said door member.

4. In combination with a wall structure having an opening therein and a tWo-membered door structure normally closing the opening, a hinge for permitting movement of-one member relative to the other member of said two-membered hinge for clamping same within the groove and for securing a portion adjacent said one edge to the fiat surface of said one member, means fitting over the other edge of said ,hinge for clamping same within the groove and for secur- -ing a portion adjacent said other edge to the flat surface of the other of said members, and said extending portion of said members of said two-membered door structure engaging a portion of said hinge intermediate its secured portions and normally maintaining said intermediate hinge portion bowed in a direction opposite the direction of movement thereof by moving one of the members of said two-membered door structure relative to the other member thereof.

5. In combination with a wall member having an opening adjacent thereto and a movable door member normally closing the opening, a hinge comprising a molded rubber element having a layer of fabric embedded therein, said hinge element extending over a part of said wall member and over a part of said door member, each of said parts of said members including a flat surface, a groove adjacent one side thereof and a portion adjacent the other side thereof extending beyond the plane of said flat surface, said hinge element having relatively thick edges disposed in the groove provided in said members, means fitting over one edge of said hinge element for clamping same within the groove and for securing a portion adjacent said one edge to the flat surface of one of said members, means fitting over the other edge of said hinge element for clamping same within the groove and for securing a portion adjacent said other edge to the flat surface of the other of said members, said extending portion of said members engaging a portion of said hinge intermediate its secured portions and normally maintaining said intermediate hinge portion bowed in a direction opposite the direction of movement thereof by said door member, and said extending portion of said members being constructed and arranged to dispose the fabric layer of said hinge element at the neutral axis of movement thereof.

6. In combination with a wall vstructure having an opening therein and a two-membered door structure normally closing the opening, a hinge for permitting movement of one member relative to the other member of said twomembered door structure, said hinge comprising a molded rubber element having a layer of fabric embedded therein, said hinge element extending over a part of said one member and over a part of said other member of said twomembered door structure, each of said parts of said members including a fiat surface, a groove adjacent one side thereof and a portion adjacent the other side thereof extending beyond the plane of said flat surface, said hinge element having relatively thick edges disposed in the groove provided in said members, means fitting over one edge of said hinge element for clamping same within the groove and for securing a portion adjacent said one edge to the flat surface of one of said members, means fitting over the other edge of said hinge element for clamping same within the groove and for securing a portion adjacent said other edge to the fiat surface of the other of said mem-bers, said extending portion of said members engaging a portion of said hinge intermediate its secured portions and normally maintaining said intermediate hinge portion bowed in a direction opposite the direction of movement thereof by moving one of the members of said two-membered door structure relative to the other member thereof, and said extending part of said members being constructed and arranged to dispose the fabric layer of said hinge element at the neutral axis of movement thereof.

'7. In combination with a Wall member having an opening adjacent thereto and a movable door member normally closing the opening, a.

, hinge comprising a single piece of resilient material extending over a part of said wall member and over a part of said door member, each of said parts oi' said members including a fiat surface, a groove adjacent one side thereoi and a portion adjacent the other side thereof extending upwardly beyond the plane of said flat surface, said hinge having relatively thick edges disposed in the groove provided in said members, a metal element extending over one edge and a top portion adjacent thereto of said hinge, a screw passing through said metal element and engaging one of said members for securing said hinge thereto, a metal element extending over the other edge and a top portion adjacent thereto of said hinge, a screw passing through said second named metal element and engaging the other of said members for securing said hinge thereto, and said upwardly extending portion of said members engaging a portion oi said hinge intermediate its secured portions and normally maintaining said intermediate hinge portion bowed in a direction opposite the direction of movement thereof by said door member.

8. In combination with a wall structure having an opening therein and a tWo-membered door structure normally closing the opening, a hinge for permitting movement of one member relative to the other member of said two-membered door structure, said hinge comprising a single piece of resilient material extending over a part of said one member and over a part of said other member of said two-membered door structure, each of said parts of said members including a flat surface, a groove adjacent one side thereof and a portion adjacent the other side thereof extending upwardly beyond the plane of said ilat surface, said hinge having relatively thick edges disposed in the groove provided in said members, a metal element extending over one edge and a top portion adjacent thereto of said hinge, a screw passing through said metal element and engaging one of said members for securing said hinge thereto, a second metal element separate from and independent of said ilrst named metal element extending over the other edge and a top portion adjacent thereto of said hinge, a screw passing through said second named metal element and engaging the other of said members for securing saldi hinge thereto, and said upwardly extending portion of said members engaging a portion of said hinge intermediate its secured portions and normally maintaining said intermediate hinge portion bowed in a direction opposite the direction of movement thereof by moving one of the members of said two-membered door structure relative to the other member thereof.

9. In combination with a wall member having an opening adjacent thereto and a door member normally closing the opening, means forming a hinge between said members comprising a single piece of non-metallic material having one edge portion thereof secured to a part of said wall member and its other edge portion secured to a part of said door member, said single piece hinge means being provided with a resilient movable intermediate part extending over an edge portion of each of said members and permitting movement of the members relative to one another, and said edge portion of said wall member and said edge portion of said door member being disposed above and cooperating with said parts of said members to which said hinge means is secured to normally maintain said resilient intermediate part of the hinge bowed in a direction opposite the direction of movement thereof by said door member to locate same at its neutral axis of movement.

10. In combination with a wall structure having an opening therein and a two-membered door structure normally closing the opening, means forming a hinge between the members of said two-membered door structure comprising a single piece of non-metallic material having one edge portion thereof secured to a part of one member of said two-membered door structure and its other edge portion secured to a part of the other member of said two-membered door structure, said single piece hinge means being provided with a resilient movable intermediate part extending over an edge portion of 1 each of said members oi' said two-membered door structure and permitting movement of one member thereof relative to the other member, and said edge portion of said members of said twomembered door structure being disposed above and cooperating with said parts of said members to which said hinge means is secured to normally maintain said resilient intermediate part of the hinge bowed in a direction opposite the direction of movement thereof by one of said members to locate same at its neutral axis of movement.

WILFORD H. TEETER. 

